Apparatus for loading mine cars



AU8 11, 1931. J. A. PAlsLEY l;81`8,427

A APPARATUS FOR LOADINQ MINE'` GARS Filed'Nov. 17, 1928 z sheets-sheet 1 Augf 11 1931.- J. AfPAlsLEY 1,818,427

APPARATUS FOR LOADING MINE CARS Filed Nov. 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnvenhw fwn M7 @Wil/7 Mw( Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT `-FFICE .TA'MES A. PAISLEY, QF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE VALLEY CAM.a COAL COMPANY, F CLEVELAND, OHIOLA CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA APPARATUS FOR LOADING MINE CARS Application led. November 17, 1928.

This invention relates to an improved method of loading mine cars, and apparatus for carrying out such method.

The invention,.in it-s broadest aspect, con- Y templates a method of loading mine cars .1n

which a train of cars in the pit may be located beneath suitable conveying apparatus and an element movable on said conveying apparatus and adapted to effect the discharge of the coal into any underlying car at will is successively moved 'into different positions over the cars, whereby the cars are loaded with coal or other material, one after another, without being moved from their position on the tracks. An advantage of this method as compared with standard methods of loading cars, is found in the fact that instead of moving the cars, one at a'time, into loading Vposition beneath the car loader, an entire train of cars is positioned beneath the conveyor and the cars are rapidly loaded in succession without being moved, during the loading operation. The train of cars when loaded is then removed by a locomotive to the position wherethey discharge the coal. By the method proposed, great economies in time and labor are secured, and as these factors are highly important in the coal mining industry the invention is of value as compared with known methods of loading as above indicated.

The invention, as illustrated herein, further contemplates the employment of one form of improved apparatus for carrying out the method. Ans herein shown, such apparatus comprises a conveyor, as for example of the endless type, which is located over the pit car tracks and in position to receive the coal from a pit car loader of any approved type, such for example as the Fairfield loader, and which carries the coal upward and delivers it at the receiving end of the loading conveyor. The loading conveyor, in the construction herein illustrated, is provided with a plow which is controllable by theV operator in such manner as to be caused to move longitudinally along the loading conveyor so that it may be positioned over the several cars in the train, in succession, the plow causing the coal as it is car- Serial No. 320,097.

ried along the conveyor to be diverted laterally 0H of the conveyor so as to fall by gravity on to the underlying car which is being loaded.

Another feature of the invention is comprised in a plow of the character referred to which is pivotally attached to its support, so thatthe plow'may be moved laterally by the operator, to the right or to the left, for the purpose of controlling the direction and quantity of coal being deflected over the sides of the conveyor during the loading operation. p

The foregoing, and other important features of the invention, will be best understood from the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away, showing apparatus for carrying out the method; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed plan view of a portion of the loading conveyor and the plow and l Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the plow, partly sectional, on the line 4 4 Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a' face conveyor, such as 4, is located in position to carry the coal to and deposit it upon the receiving end of a pit car loader 6, which is of the endless type, and whose frameis supported-for movements on the track by wheels 8, whichparts as so .far described, are those usually employed in mines for carrying the coal to a point where it is conveyed from the pit car loader to the cars which are successively brought beneath the discharge end 12 of the pit car loader, and when loaded each car is withdrawn from position beneathV the pit car loader, andanempty car is pushed up the track by the locomotive into position for loading.v

The present invention contemplates, inaddition to thev usual pit car loader 6, or any similar device for carrying the coal upwardly to a position above the cars to be loaded,'a conveyory 14, whose entering end portion 16 is located beneath the discharging end of the pit car loader 6. The conveyor 14 is preferably of the endless type and is placed horizontally above the tracks on which the cars, 18, 19, and 21 travel as they are brought into loading position, and carried out of such position by the locomotive.

Referring particularly now to Figs. 3 and 4, the frame of the conveyor 14 is shown as made of channel iron form and its downturned flanges 16 are perforated to receive journals 17 of an idler 23. The lower run of the belt 24 of the conveyor is supported upon the idler 23 at one end and other idlers at the opposite end of the conveyor frame, while the upper run of the belt is supported by and passes over the upper surface of the frame 16, as shown in Fig. 4. The frame 16 isv provided with two spaced metal strips 25 upon the upper surface of which is supported a frame 27 of the plow 30. The frame 27 is merely a strip of metal which is downwardly bent at its ends to enclose the sides 16 of the conveyor frame, and be guided by said frame in the longitudinal movements .thereof during the adjustment of the plow over the conveyor.

The plow 30 is connected to the frame 27 by a pivot 29, located at the longitudinal center of the plow and permitting swinging movements of the plow about said pivot as a center, whereby said plow-,may belocated in different angular positions relatively to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor,v thereby to control the discharge of the coal, from the conveyor to the underlying cars.

VSuitable means is provided for manually moving the plow along the conveyor and over the upper run of the conveyor belt whereby the successive loading of the cars in a train maybe controlled by anoperator in carrying out the improved method of the apparatus disclosed. lllhile it is not intended to limit the invention toanyV particular instrumentality, as a convenient device for moving the plow along the conveyor and for changing its angular position thereon, suitable ropes or cables 33', 33, are herein shown as attached at one end to .eyes 34, 34, which are secured to opposite sides of the plow, these cables being led along the sides of the conveyor to a suitable point, preferably adjacent the receiving end of said conveyor where the free ends of the cables may be temporarily secured to cleats, as 40, secured to one side of the conveyor frame. In the device as illustrated, one of the cables 33, passes over an idler 41, projecting from a bracket 42 attached to one of the sides of the conveyor frame in order that the end of this cable may be secured to one of the cleats 40, which is adjacent the other cleat to which the free end of the companion cable is secured.

lVith the apparatus as described it will be seen that in loading a train of cars with coal, as for example the cars 18, 19, 20 and 21, the operatorpushes the plow over the convey- .veyor 14 has been loadedL with coal.

or 14 until it is above car 18, in which position he may hold the plow against the pressure of the coal by the cables 33. The coal is then conveyed from the pit car loader 6 to the conveyor 14, along which it is conveyed until it reaches the plow 30 and is scraped oil' of the conveyor laterally onboth sides and permitted to fall by gravity into the car 18 until the latter is loaded. In this operation the plow may be manipulated in such manner as to distribute the coal evenly upon the car 18, which is being loaded. When the car 18 is loaded, the operator pulls the plo-w 30 along the conveyor until it occupies a position over the car 19, which is then load'- ed inthe same manner as previously described, and thereafter the cars 2O and 21 are loaded, in succession, until the last car in the train which is located beneath the con- The train of cars is then ru'n out on the tracks, emptiech and either returned in' an empty condition to be reloaded, or another train of cars is similarly positioned beneath the conveyor 14 and loaded.

The illustrated apparatus, While capable of performing applicants improved method, iis illustrated by way of example only, so far as the method is concerned, for it will be obvious that other forms of apparatus may be used in lieu thereof. In the following claims, accordingly, it is not intended to limiit the invention to the particular apparatus shown, except in those claims which byltheir terms define the. invention with such particularity and specific detail as to apply only to the illustrated embodiment of the ,invention. What I claimfis: y 1. In an apparatus for loading cars with granularmaterial, a longitudinally arranged conveyorv comprising a channel iron frame, lidlers,a.1`id an endless belt traveling oversaid idlers andsupported by the frame, a wedgeshaped plow mounted for longitudinal move` ment over the frame of the conveyor, yand meansl controllable at will by .an operator from a single position of operation for locating the plow at any selected point on the conveyor, whereby underlying cars may be successively loaded.. 2. In an apparatusV for loading cars with granular material, a longitudinally arranged conveyor constructed .to be located over a train of cars, means for discharging coal upon the conveyor, a plow supported for movements over the conveyor, and flexible means attached to oppositel sides of the plow and leading rearwardly to apoint for pulationby an operator without changing his position and. arranged to move the plow over the conveyor whereby said plow may be located in position for discharging the materialinto any one of several underlying cars, as selected by the operator.V

3. In an apparatus for loading cars with granular material, a longitudinally arranged conveyor of the endless type, arranged so as to be located over a train of cars, a plow mounted for longitudinal movement along the frame of the conveyor, a support for the plow, means for pvotally connecting the plow to said support, and means under the operators control extending to a point ad JAMES A. PAISLEY. 

